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Going Green

Someone said that pumpkins should be at 700+ pounds at this time to hit 1000 pounds by weigh-off! Question: wouldn't that depend on when you planted the plant...when you pollinated the pumpkin...and when your weigh-off is!

Example; I planted on May 20th...4 months to vine maturity would be Sept. 20th
I pollinated on July 15th so 40 days to 70% of pumpkins final weight is Aug 25th and 60 days to pumpkin maturity is Sept 15th or later
Weigh-off for my area is October 4th or 50 days from now!

I think these are accurate as far as life of plant...roughly 180 days or 4 months
Pumpkin viability 50 days....maturity 60 + days
Weigh-offs vary according to region!

Please correct me if this is not accurate! For his area W Va he is most likely correct that your pumpkin should have reached 70% of its final weight to gain another 30% by weigh-off! I do not know when W Va weigh-off is but I assume and you know what happens when you assume that he is basing that on 40 days since pollination should be 70% of the final weight as rule of thumb or for W Va zone!

Do I have this correct? I am always trying to learn so if my information is not correct please explain to me!

8/14/2008 10:00:16 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

What your pumpkin should weigh at this time to hit 1000 lbs. by say Oct. 1, would vary according to growing region, how old the pumpkin is, how heavy to the chart it goes, etc. So many variables come into play. Some growers can get 300+ lbs. of growth in Sept.

8/14/2008 10:34:03 PM

Wi

In S.D. if you aren't 600+ by now IMO it will be tough. Days getting shorter, nights getting colder...etc. Even if the fruit is young it can't do 40# days if it's cold.

Of course if you get a great September things can be different, but it's tough to bank on that.

8/15/2008 8:24:32 AM

Midway, UT

Going by the Landry benchmark charts your cc for a 1000# pumpkin should have the following daily growth averages:

Circ Daily Gain 10-20 Minimum: 4.55
Circ Daily Gain 20-30 Minimum: 3.81
Circ Daily Gain 30-40 Minimum: 2.52
Circ Daily Gain 40-50 Minimum: 1.41
Circ Daily Gain 50-60 Minimum: 1
Circ Daily Gain 60-70 Minimum: 0.55
Circ Daily Gain 70-80 Minimum: 0.52

Using those numbers you could see where you fit right now and then using the averages above calculate where you would be at the end of the growing season if you hit the minimums. Like mentioned before there are a number of factors that come into play, but at least you could compare yourself with what other growers have done from all over the country in the past.

8/15/2008 1:31:38 PM